Unbind Me
by Nachos
Summary: [written for a prompt on tumblr] Sora's fallen into an enchanted sleep, and Riku must wake him. Again. [riku/sora]


"Riku, Riku come here, hurry!" Kairi called, frantic. Her voice echoed off the old stone walls of the castle.

Riku whirled around, spotting Kairi at the end of a long corridor, waving wildly for him.

"What's wrong?" He called back, jogging toward her.

"It's Sora!"

That was all he needed to break into a sprint, following Kairi as she disappeared into one of the many rooms. He all but swung himself into the doorway.

Sora was there, sprawled out on the floor, unconscious.

Riku approached and dropped to his knees next to the still brunet, fear coiled tightly in his belly as he pulled Sora into his arms.

"Sora. Sora, wake up," he demanded, shaking Sora's shoulders. Sora didn't stir, simply remained asleep, breathing deeply and evenly. There didn't appear to be any wounds, there weren't any heartless around...

"What happened?"

"It's all my fault," Kairi sniffed from behind him. He turned, greeted by glittering eyes that were stubbornly fighting back tears.

"Maleficent appeared when we first arrived," she explained. "She said something about a spinning wheel and a needle, and sleeping forever. I didn't think anything of it, but when we came in here, something... something came over me. I went straight for it."

Kairi pointed and Riku followed her gaze over to a spinning wheel, knocked over on the floor.

"I was about to touch it, but right before I did, he pulled me away. It fell over, and pricked his arm," she finished, showing Riku the tiny red spot on Sora's arm where blood had beaded up and dried from the prick of the needle.

Riku took in her story intently, biting his lip and cursing to himself. Maleficent's magic wasn't to be trifled with. It was strong, formidable, vicious and evil. If she intended for her victim to sleep forever...

"Go find Mickey. He should be here somewhere," Riku directed at Kairi, startling her. She nodded wordlessly and took off.

Once Kairi was gone, Riku looked down at his sleeping friend. Sora's face was neutral, eyes closed gently, long lashes fanned against his cheeks, lips set in a gentle downward curve.

A pang of familiarity gripped his heart.

"Why is it that we're always trying to wake you up somehow?" Riku smiled a little shakily, brushing bangs out of his friend's closed eyes. It was just like last time...

Wait!

Riku blinked in realization. He had the power to awaken sleeping hearts. Of course!

"I'm an idiot," he chastised himself. He gently lowered Sora back down to the floor and stood. Way to the Dawn shimmered into his hand. He pointed it at Sora's sleeping form, and closed his eyes.

"Hang on Sora," Riku whispered, his body glowing as he prepared to dive into Sora's heart once more.

A blast of magic, hot and cold and burning green, flared up suddenly. Riku's eyes snapped open in shock just in time to be thrown back against the wall from the force. He groaned, rubbing his head and looking back towards Sora.

There was a fading green glow around Sora's body, though the brunet himself looked untouched. Riku could hear faint cackling in his ears he cursed the evil witch with all that he was.

What now? If Maleficent's magic was keeping him from diving into Sora's heart, how was he supposed to wake him up? He was a keyblade master now, and the one time he needed to put his new power to good use he couldn't!

Riku painfully crawled back over to Sora, once more taking the smaller frame into his arms. Sora was as still and unconscious as before, only now he felt cooler to the touch. Panic was slowly settling in.

"Sora..." Desperation.

What if Sora never woke up?

No, that wasn't an option. He truly was an idiot if he thought that. He couldn't give up. He hadn't given up before, and Sora wouldn't even entertain the thought of giving up on him. Sora needed him.

But what could he do?

_...tr-... lo-... iss.._.

Riku's head snapped up, looking around and tightening his grip on Sora. "Who's there?"

_...true... ove's... -ss!_

Riku looked down at Sora. It sounded like the voice was coming from the brunet, but it sounded different... familiar, yet different. Was it...? No, couldn't be. He was back in Sora's heart where he belonged.

So who...?

_True love's kiss!_

Riku started. It sounded like the voice was all around them, forceful.

"True love's kiss?" he repeated, too worried to notice a faint darkening of his cheeks.

The voice said nothing else.

"True love's kiss, huh?" Riku muttered to himself. He glanced back to the doorway where Kairi had exited moments before. Shouldn't she be the one to...?

But then again, didn't Riku also love Sora?

"Worth a shot," Riku told himself, pointedly ignoring the fact that he was blushing. With a deep, steadying breath, he leaned down.

He pressed his lips to Sora's. Something happened then; almost like a spark, or a jolt, seemed to seize through his body and everything else fell away. All that mattered was that he was here, Sora was here, Sora's lips were so soft, and that he wanted to stay here forever. Nothing else mattered. (Not even when Kairi returned with Mickey, Donald and Goofy, only for their eyes to widen as they slinked away with knowing smiles.) Only Sora mattered. Only this.

But It faded. Riku pulled away reluctantly, opened his eyes and peered down.

Sora's eyes were still closed. He was still cool and limp and thoroughly asleep.

Riku tried not to let his disappointment get the better of him. Of course he wasn't Sora's true love, that would have been too much to hope for...

But who could love Sora more than he? What if Kairi couldn't do it either?

Riku bit his lip, fighting tears. He pulled Sora up his chest, wrapping his arms around him. "Oh Sora... I'm sorry..."

"...and you called me the sap..."

Riku pulled back like he'd been electrocuted, eyes wide as saucers. "S-Sora!?"

Sora's eyes were open halfway. He looked sort of exhausted, pale but he was awake. He was alright.

Relief and elation warred within Riku, and he found he couldn't speak.

Sora gave him a tired, lopsided grin, "So... true love's kiss huh? I knew it."

Riku bopped him on the head.

"Ooow what was that for?"

"For scaring me."

"Mmm," Sora hummed. "I'm sorry." He said sincerely.

Riku relented. "Just don't do it again."

"Promise," Sora said, followed by a yawn. "I'm still pretty sleepy, I think I need another kiss."

"You sap."


End file.
